U.S. patent application number 10/295219 was filed with the patent office on 2003-06-12 for normally open three-way valve for ultra-high-pressure application.
Invention is credited to Boone-Saurwein, Betty L., Saurwein, Albert C..
Application Number | 20030106594 10/295219 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26968998 |
Filed Date | 2003-06-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030106594 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Saurwein, Albert C. ; et
al. |
June 12, 2003 |
Normally open three-way valve for ultra-high-pressure
application
Abstract
A normally open, two position, ultra-high-pressure three-way
valve is comprised of a centrally internally situated short
cylindrical spool conically profiled at each end, each end in close
proximity to an orifice seat, each seat in fluid communication with
an outlet port. Inlet flow through the body and into the interior
chamber containing said short cylindrical profiled spool situated
between fixed orifice seats can thus be directed through one open
orifice seat and through its adjoining port to a downstream
destination while the other seat is blocked; or upon shifting,
through the other orifice seat and adjoining port to an alternate
downstream destination while the first seat is blocked. The
actuating stem, an integral part of the aforementioned short
tapered cylindrical spool, extending concentrically through the
orifice of the sealing seat on the stem end of the short
cylindrical member, extends out through the body to external
actuation means. Although designed as a three way, bypass valve for
on-off control in uncompensated fluid circuits, in a second
embodiment it can also be used as a true two position, three way
valve.
Inventors: |
Saurwein, Albert C.;
(Granger, WA) ; Boone-Saurwein, Betty L.;
(Granger, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STRATTON BALLEW
213 S 12TH AVE
YAKIMA
WA
98902
US
|
Family ID: |
26968998 |
Appl. No.: |
10/295219 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60331924 |
Nov 16, 2001 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
137/625.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 137/86895 20150401;
F16K 11/044 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/625.5 |
International
Class: |
F16K 011/044 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A normally open three-way valve for ultra high pressure
application, substantially as shown and described herein.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims priority under U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/331,924 filed Nov. 16, 2001.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention pertains primarily to high-pressure water-jet
cutting devices for controlling the high pressure water flow to the
cutting nozzle from a fixed displacement pump, but is also
applicable to any high-pressure 2-position, 2-way valve application
within allowable pressure-temperature limitations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] High-pressure flow to a water jet cutting nozzle, or any
device to which high pressure fluid must be supplied (20,000 psi to
60,000 psi) is conventionally controlled by a high pressure on-off
valve, actuated by an air or hydraulic cylinder or a toggle handle.
Flow through the valve, otherwise called a two-way valve, is either
blocked or open. This type of valve is compatible with flow out of
an intensifier type pump, or any pressure compensated pump in which
blocking the outlet flow does not result in over-pressurization of
the fluid circuit. However, in the case of a non-compensated, fixed
displacement pump where a blocked outlet would result in severe
damage to the pump or pressure lines, a "three-way" valve is
required to vent the pumped fluid from the nozzle back to the
incoming water supply when the fluid to the nozzle is shut off. The
valve of this invention also departs from the conventional design
eliminating a return spring and integrated actuation cylinder
structure using instead a purchased off-the-shelf spring return
pneumatic cylinder. This significantly reduces the complexity and
the resulting cost of manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The valve of this invention provides on-off control in an
ultra-high pressure fluid circuit in which the fluid medium is
pressurized by a fixed volume non-compensated pump. This valve is
relatively simple and inexpensive to build.
[0005] The stem of this normally open ultra-high pressure three-way
valve actuates a short cylindrical spool within the valve body
having a conical point at the end, and conically tapering at the
other end down to the diameter of the actuating stem. This short
cylindrical spool is made to reciprocate between two seats fixed
within a main body, the stem being the actuating member passing
coaxially through a rear seat and extending outside of the body to
actuating means. An inlet port feeds the pressurized fluid to the
annular cavity between the two seats, the fluid flowing through the
seat at the pointed end of the cylindrical spool, through the
adjoining port beyond the seat and to the nozzle or other load. In
this position while the conical point is retracted from its seat
allowing high pressure fluid to pass through, the taper at the
other end seals against the seat at that end, and is held firmly in
sealing contact with that seat by the pressure force on the profile
of the cylindrical section within the body.
[0006] When the actuator shifts the stem forward, the conical point
is pushed onto sealing contact with the forward seat blocking high
pressure flow to the nozzle or other load while simultaneously
opening the annular area between the rear seat and the stem
allowing flow to pass through that annular area inside the rear
seat and out through the second outlet or bypass part to a low
pressure destination, typically back to the inlet fluid supply.
[0007] This open and close cycle shifting high pressure fluid from
the load to low pressure vented fluid and back again can all be
done with the pump running and results in very smooth
operation.
[0008] The remote actuator is a separate off-the-shelf component
and is bolted to the body through adapter blocks.
[0009] The high pressure port is on one long edge surface of the
body providing fluid passage into the interior cavity between the
two fixed seats. Both outlet ports are on the opposite edge
surface. The end of the body beyond the seat at the stem end houses
a high pressure plug. Removal of this plug gives access to the
internal cavity through which the stem is inserted into the body
followed by the seat-retainer assembly. A plug in the opposite end
when removed gives access to the rear seat-retainer assembly and
the stem guide.
[0010] In an embodiment, the valve body has two threaded holes
spaced apart in from the edge where the high pressure plug is
located by which to mount the assembly. One of the major advantages
of this high pressure valve is that the actuating stem does not
pass through a region of high pressure and a sliding high pressure
seal is not necessary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Five figures are included in this application:
[0012] FIG. 1 shows the orientation and attachment means of the
mounting blocks to the main body, and actuation cylinder to the
mounting blocks.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a section through the main body showing the valve
porting, the stem configuration, and interior components.
[0014] FIGS. 3 and 4 are two times size illustrations of the flow
route through the valve and accompanying stem position for bypass
flow and pressurized flow to the nozzle respectively.
[0015] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a second embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The ultra-high pressure 3-way valve of this invention is
designed with a standard high pressure inlet port 2 on one side of
the body 1, and on the opposite side are outlet pressure port 4 and
bypass port 5.
[0017] High pressure fluid enters the interior cavity 24, through
inlet port 2, and in the normally open condition in which the
actuator 20 has not been energized, and the stem 14, is in the
rearward position as in FIG. 4 the taper 25 is in sealing contact
with rear seat 11, held there by the force exerted on said stem by
the piston return spring within said actuator. When pressure has
built within said internal cavity, the sealing force between said
tapered surface and seat increases to the amount of the pressure
force on the effective area of the stem profile, thus increasing
the sealing capability as pressure increases.
[0018] Shifting said stem away from said rear seat such that the
tapered point 26 is forced into sealing contact with forward seat
12, and said rear tapered surface 25 withdraws from rear seat 11
redirects the inlet fluid flow from said outlet pressure port to
bypass port 5, as shown in FIG. 3.
[0019] The short cylindrical spool 22 having sealing tapers on each
end is concentrically situated within said internal pressurized
cavity, bounded at each end with said tapered sealing surfaces and
between said seats. The annular area developed between the inside
orifice diameter in said rear orifice seat and the diameter of the
concentrically situated stem within said orifice, said stem
diameter being at the small end of said rear taper, produces a
minimal pressure drop through said annular area at rated flow
conditions when the stem is in the actuated or bypass position as
shown on FIG. 3.
[0020] The stem diameter increases beyond the region of the said
rear seat orifice to slightly less than that of said rear seat
orifice inside diameter to allow assembly of said stem from the far
side of said body at which time said seat 11 and threaded plug 7
are assembled and torqued into the body along with stem guide 9 and
retainer plug 10 containing o-ring seal 23.
[0021] Said stem thus assembled extends beyond the perimeter of
said body, its threaded end firmly torqued within adapter plug 15
and locked thereto by nut 13. Threaded engagement of said adapter
plug with the internal thread 31 in the end of the actuator piston
16 provides the attachment required to transmit both the
compressive force to shift said stem from the normally open
position to closed, and to retract said stem and hold in the on
position by spring return means within said actuating cylinder.
Stand-off spacers 17, between mounting blocks 19 and said actuator
cylinder hold said actuator in a position near mid stroke where the
return spring is active while still allowing sufficient further
stroke for valve actuation. Said stand-off spacers and cylinder are
attached to said mounting blocks by bolts 18. Said mounting blocks
are attached to said body by bolts 21.
[0022] Threaded plugs 6 and 7 retain their respective seats 12 and
11, in small counterbores in the inner ends, and when torqued into
their respected threaded counterbores exert compressive force on
their respective seats sandwiched against the counterbores outside
each end of the interior cavity 24. Sufficient force is thus
generated to produce a high pressure seal in the annular area of
contact between rear seat 11 and its mating counterbore preventing
high pressure leakage into the bypass port during high pressure
flow through said internal cavity and downstream to the nozzle or
other load. A similar high pressure sealing system is formed
between threaded plug 6 and seat 12 with its mating counterbore,
but this side of said internal cavity never experiences a pressure
differential across the seat in this first embodiment. Holes 35 are
provided in the walls of said threaded plugs through which the
fluid passes to enter either of said outlet ports. Said threaded
plugs are constructed from standard corrosion resistant socket-type
set screws, the internal hexes 36, at the outer end of each
providing the driving and torquing means for assembly and sealing
preload of said orifice seats as previously described. The wall of
the counterbore in the smaller end of the threaded plug which
retains the orifice seat is slightly shorter than the thickness of
the orifice seat insuring that the seat absorbs the full load
applied through torquing the plug and that contact of the
counterbore walls with the surface of the mating counterbore in the
body does not occur.
[0023] Threaded plug 3 screws into said body seating against the
polished counterbore seat 32 and upon torquing establishes a high
pressure seal in the interface.
[0024] Low pressure water present on the stem side of said internal
cavity is prevented from leaking past said stem by o-ring 23, and
past threaded retainer plug 10 by the interface pressure generated
on both side surfaces 33 and 34 of stem guide 9 by torquing said
retainer plug. Holes 37 to accommodate a spanner wrench are
provided in said retainer plug to facilitate torquing thereof. Two
threaded mounting holes 8 are provided in the plug end of said
body.
[0025] A second embodiment of the 3-way ultra-high-pressure valve
of this invention would replace the bypass port 5, body 1, stem 14,
stem guide 9, and retaining plug with o-ring seal 10 and 23, all of
the first embodiment, with high pressure port 42, body 39, stem 49,
stem guide 43, high pressure seal 45, and retaining plug 47. (FIG.
5). All other valve components are identical to the first
configuration shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, as is the operational
sequence illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. This second embodiment would
direct high pressure flow coming into port 37 to either of two high
pressure down stream loads through ports 41 or 42 by the same
shifting-actuation and internal alternate sealing and opening
sequence means as described in the previous specification and
illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.
* * * * *